Commodity bag for automatic filling machines



April 30, 1957 s. Rosl-:N 2,790,591

COMMODITY BAG FOR AUTOMATIC FILLING MACHINES Filed April 2o, 1954 '-9 dl v l2 /A// :h2o l l I /I/I /H/ I I l2* I I /l I4 'I INVENTOR. 1 @www BY l United States Patent COMMODITY BAG FonAUToMArIC FIILING `MiscnnsEs A Shy Rosen, New York,"N. Y., assignor to Mlpint, Inc.,

The present invention relates generally to improvementsin ktlieart of "packaging-commodities, and relates more particularly to improvementsinthe construcuon ofV commoditybags and dispensers therefor. a A primary object of the invention is to provide an 1m- AAproved'commodity bagofvsimple and inexpensive constructionvvhich `isespecially adapted for use with automatic filling machines and to an improved dispensing device for supporting the bagsjduring `jlling and automatically releasing the same When'iilled. Y

It has heretofore been proposed to provide automatic bag-filling devicesV incorporating aspindle or hanger arm for receivinga pluralityI ofvflexible commodity bags suspended thereonby means of apertures in the lipportions thereof and 'adapted Vtobe successively lled -With a commodity and thentorn or severedfrom the hanger when supplied with a desired quantity of the commodity. However, all of the commodity bagsheretofore proposed for use with such devices Were of thev so-called lip,type in which oneV of the side Walls entendstbeyond'the` end of lthe other side Wall at the mouth' of the bag,"thereby`per mitting theformation of a suspension aperture Within the extending margin or` lip ofithe longer wall soth-at the bag mouth could be opened for iillingpurposes. Since all flexible packaging materials and especially polyethylene and the like are not readily adaptablefor'fabrication'of lip `type'bags or for han'dlingvvhen so formed and also because of thejfact that such bags are relatively expensive to produce andrequire rather sensitive and complicated bag-making equipment in the production thereof, the application and use of this automatic bag-filling apparatus hasiheretofore been 'necessarily undesirably limited. Furthermore, the rupturiug `or, severance of the filled bags upon removal from thelspindleA or hanger arm is objectionable since it results in a rather unattractive iinal commodity package in `Whichthemouthportion is sometimes rather ditlicultjto'irmly seal. g

It is therefore a more specific object'of this inventionto provide a commodity'bag and dispenser thereforwhich obviates these `disadvantages and automatic bag=lling operations. t Y Another specificf-object-of my invention is toY provide objections attendant 'a straight'or square"cut"bag havingcoincidinglipAportionsand which "ist nevertheless "readily adaptablegand usablegwithjexisting automatic :bag-filling apparatus.' j Y ,Anotherispeciiic Aobject-ofthe'invention Vis to provide 'an' improved Y suspension' device for* flexible commodity bags which permits" ready openingand filling of successive bags `vvith desired predetermined quantities of a commodify and Which'th'ereupon automatically releases the tilled Abags without rupturing or severing the same.

to provide a bag structure which permits the use of any desired known flexible packaging materials in the construction thereof, which is moreover extremely economical and inexpensive to produce with the aid of moreor-less standard and relatively simpleV bag-making equip- 'ice T2 mentfand Which may be readily and effectively utilized with automatic bag-lillingapparatus.

A'fur'ther speciiico'oject of the present invention is to Aprovide an'improved Vcommodity bag'having co-extensive side Wallsprovided'with alined apertures in the mouth portion thereof inwardly Aof the marginal edges, one of the Iside Walls being slit from the marginal edge inwardly to its aperture.

- An additional-specific object of the present invention is 4to'providean improved suspensionand dispensing device 'for commoditybagshavingalined apertures in the mouth portions thereof comp'rising, a rigid suspension arm adapted to penetrate=the `apertures of the bags for supporting the same, vand ai'iieXible'tip `at the outer end of thearmadapted tobeeked undera'predetermined weight to release a bag positioned thereon. A

""Theseand otherspecio objects and advantages of the `invention will lbecome"apparentfrom the following detailed description.y

lA clear conception `oflthesev'eral features constituting my present invention, and of -the mode of constructing Vand of utilizing commodity bags andv dispensers therefor embodying the present improvements,V may be had by referring to the drawing-accompanying and forming a part of thi-s specification wherein like reference characters designate thelsaine-or similarparts in the various views.

Fig. lis avperspective'view of atypical straight-cut `side-fgusseted commodity bag embodying the present invention andl Ish-owing'the bag partially open to more yclearly reveal the suspension apertures;

Fig. 2 is aeplau view of the bag from one side thereof; Fig. 3 is a plan `view of the bag from the other side thereof;

tFig. i4 isaifragmentary perspective viewof a convenunopenedxcondition byfmeansof dot-and-dash lines;

Fig. 5 is a similar perspectivevview of the same suspension device and bagsbut withthe full-lineV bag shownin fully opened and practicallylled condition and about -toibe torn away from the suspension arm;

Fig. 6 is `a fragmentary perspective View of one of the improved bags suspended from the -armof one of my improved dispensers. g "Whiletheinventionhas been particularlyshown and described-herein as tbeing especially.advantageously ap- Y zplicable to side-gussetted .commodity A-bags formed of polyethylene and with the improved dispenser embodying a metal arinlprovided'with afrubberbagereleasingtip, it `1s not=desired `or intended to unnecessarily restricter `limitthescope or utilityof theimprovements by virtue `pension-'arm `being likewiseiformedpf other-materials Still another speciiic object of my present invention isA i l vof such `limited;"embodiments,tsince'theinvention may obviously fbe fmo're'generally applicable to plain1 square `bags.ofanyv:suitable packaging materials Withthe sussuch-as combinations ofLplastic `and springsteel yor 'the like; and it `is also contemplatedtthat certain specifica-'descriptive :terms usedA-herein: shall be given l the broadest Apossible interpretation 'consistent I'with the "f lisclosure.`

fReferring ftd: the sdrawing, fthe; commodity bag' shown wtherein comprises; inrgene'ral, .arsheet ofifiexible'- packaging `ImaterialJfold'edfto forniha'tat tube'fllt) havingfcoextensive side lwalls l1, 12 jointed at their side edges by gussets or bellowsfolds 13, 14, the longitudinal edge portions of the sheet being overlapped and secured to each other by means of heat sealing or adhesive to form a longitudinal side wall seam 15 extending along the medial portion of the `wall 1l and one end of the tube 10 being sealed transversely across the walls 11, 12 by means of heat and pressure or by a suitable adhesive to form the bag bottom 16. The bag thus described is of more-orless conventional construction referred to generally as a straight or square cut type bag; and in accordance with the present invention, the side walls 11, 12 are provided with alined apertures or perforations 17, 18 respectively for purposes to be hereinafter more fully'described, the aperture 17 being preferably located within the doublethickness portion of the seam of the side wall 11 and the side wall 12 being slit as at 19 directly from the aperture 18 to the upper margin or lip 20.

In the lilling of these bags with the aid of available bag-filling equipment, a plurality of the empty flat units are placed on a rigid suspension arm 22 supported at an angle up to ninety degrees relative to the horizontal and having a knife-edged hook 23 at the lower free end thereof, the arm 22 penetrating the apertures 17, 18 and the bags being positioned on the arm 22 with the walls 12 having the slits 19 therein facing the lower hooked end 23 of the arm. The bags are normally retained in closely stacked and alined relation by means of suitable lianged members 24 coacting with the marginal side edge portions of the bag nearest to the hook 23; and to lill the successive bags, means may be provided to initially open the mouth of the lower-most bag for reception of a commodity 26 supplied from a suitable charging chute 25 or the like. As the lower-most bag adjacent to the hook 23 is opened and supplied with the commodity, the side walls 11, 12 are expanded and the bag falls from the retaining anges 24 to a vertical position on the hook 23; and when lled with the commodity, the weight of the commodity laden bag on the knife-edge of the hook 23 causes the side wall 11 to be severed or torn from the aperture 17 to the lip 20, whereupon the mouth of the bag may be sealed to provide the iinal package.y

With reference particularly to Fig. 6, an improved and novel suspension and dispensing device which eliminates the need for severing or tearing the side wall 11 for'rev the groove 30. However, in this improved dispenser, the knife-edged hook is eliminated and is replaced by a flexible end tip 33 adapted to be distorted or flexed, as shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 6, when a commodityladen bag of predetermined weight is supported thereon other suitable material adapted to be flexed, as shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 6, to thereby release the successive commodity-laden bags under a predetermined load, and the rigid arm portion 28 may be formed of any suitable material adapted to support a plurality of the flat empty bags. Theoperation of the suspension and dispensing device shown in Fig. 6 is precisely the same as described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5 except that the knife-edged hook is replaced by the flexible bag releasing tip 33 to thereby eliminate mutilation of the bag mouth;V and it will be especially noted that straight or square cut type bags formed either with or without side gussets may be utilized in these automatic bag-filling operations by reason of the invention.

It should be understood that it is not intended to limit this invention to the exact details of construction or to the precise mode of use herein shown and described, since various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled 'in the art to which this invention pertains.

1. A container for use in automatic lling machines comprising, a bag-like body formed of flexible material and having co-extensive side Walls, one of which is plain and unseamed and the other of which has a longitudinal center seam of double thickness, said side Walls being provided with alined apertures in the mouth portion thereof inwardly of the adjacent marginal edge and extending through said seam, the plain unseamed side wall only being slit inwardly from the lip to the aperture therein.

2. A container for use in automatic lling machines comprising, a bag-like body formed of flexible material and having co-extensive side Walls and a rectilinear lip extending perpendicular to the side edges of said walls with a longitudinal seam extending along one of said side walls, said side walls being provided with alined apertures in the mouthportion thereof spaced inwardly of the lip a predetermined distance and one of which extends through said seam,.t he plain unseamed side wall only being slit inwardly from the lip to the aperture therein along a line extending perpendicular to said lip.

3. A container for use in automatic filling machines comprising, a bag-like body formed of exible material and having side walls terminating at one end in a mouth 'Y portion, one of said side walls being plain and unseamed and the other havingl a longitudinal center seam of multiple thickness, said side walls being provided with alined I apertures in the mouth portion thereof inwardly of the adjacent lip forming marginal edge and extending through said seam, the plain unseamed side wall only being slit v inwardly from the lip to the aperture therein.

to thereby release thebag without tearing or cuttingUv the same.

From the foregoing detailed description, it is believed apparent that the present invention contemplates provision of an improved commodity bag and dispenser therefor which are extremely simple and economical in construction and which are moreover highly eicient and practical in actual use. By reason of the improved bag ing operations may be'readily fabricated at low cost from any desired packaging materials including polyethylene; and with the improved dispenser, the bags may be automatically lled .and removed from the suspension arm 28 without tearing or otherwise rupturing or severing the bag mouth. The exible ltip 33 ofv the'improved dispenser may berformed of rubber, spring steel or any References Cited in the le of this patent g Y UNITED ySTATES PATENTS 558,291 Lynham Apr. 14, 1896 1,713,341 Kroemer May 14, 1929 1,794,517 Hellman n Mar. 3, 1931 '2,020,415` Hirsch Nov. l2, 1935 2,391,125 Carpenter Dec. 18, 1945 2,409,314 Rambold Oct. 15, 1946 2,538,920 `Shumann Jan. 23, 1951 s `2,554,821 Garlinkel May 29, 1951 2,673,764 Carnony May 1s, 1954 f i FOREIGN PATENTS 'n 44,363 Australia July 1o, 1934 

